FxFactory plugins in Final Cut Pro

FxFactory takes full advantage of the 64-bit, high-quality compositing engine in Final Cut Pro and uses the graphics card in your Mac to provide accelerated previews and fast rendering.

All of our visual effects for Final Cut Pro X are available as Filters, Transitions, Titles or Generators, and listed in the effects browser:

The most recent version of FxFactory requires Final Cut Pro 10.2 (or later). Earlier versions of our software are also available for users running Final Cut Pro 10.1 or Final Cut Pro 7.

Filters

When viewing the Filters section of the effects browser, FxFactory plug-ins will appear in their own categories. There is usually one per product, such as the FxFactory Pro category shown below:

Filters are designed to alter or enhance the appearance of clips on your timeline. Filters can be only applied to existing clips. To apply a filter, click and drag its thumbnail from the effects browser and onto the clip.

Generators

Click the Generators icon to list all available categories of generators in the effects browser. As an example, the screenshot below shows the effects browser when the Photo Montage category is selected:

Generators can be dragged over empty areas of your timeline, in between clips, or over clips. A generator clip is conceptually similar to a traditional media-based clip. Though it is possible to drag a generator over an existing clip on the timeline, Final Cut Pro X will also give you the choice of replacing the existing clip.

The screenshot above also points to another important fact: many of our products bundle together a combination of filters, transitions, titles and generators. You will find an FxFactory Pro category when browsing generators, much as we saw one earlier, when browsing filters.

Transitions

Transitions are usually applied in between existing clips on the timeline. Applying at the head or tail of a clip tells Final Cut Pro that you want to use a transparent background in place of the incoming or outgoing clips. The screenshot below shows the transitions included in FxFactory Pro:

Titles

The Titles section of the effects browser deserves special attention because it includes products that do not necessarily focus their attention on titling. Titles are applied above existing clips on the timeline. The screenshot below shows Ripple Tools:

Contrary to what the label suggests, titles have the ability to affect the appearance of clips below it. Ripple Tools and many other products you will find under the Titles section are in fact designed to work asadjustment layers, lower thirds, etc.

On-screen Controls

Many of the features in our products for Final Cut Pro X can be accessed via on-screen controls. The screenshot below shows a row of on-screen buttons for the popular Motype title generator. On-screen controls are not reserved for effect configuration alone. Commercial products running in trial mode render a watermark over their output. You can purchase a product by clicking the “Buy” button that appears on-screen:

More helpful shortcuts may be available for a product’s tutorial, documentation, etc. On-screen controls are visible only when the clip is selected on the timeline, and the current time indicator sits within the in and out points of the clip.

When attempting to view the on-screen controls for a filter, make sure the parameter inspector is visible, and that the effect header (highlighed in green below) is selected: